Joseph Campbell's hero cycle in original and contemporary narratives

Joseph Campbell & the Hero's Cycle

Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Cycle

Joseph Campbell was a scholar who studied mythology and believed that diverse myths from all over the world tell the same basic "archetypal" story. One type always begins with an ordinary person living an ordinary life that is suddenly called upon (or chooses) to leave his or her regular life and pursue an adventure -- often in response to a loss or the feeling that something is lacking. Campbell (1988) explains, "They've moved out of the society that would have protected them, and into the dark forest, into the world of fire, of original experience. Original experience has not been interpreted for you, and so you've got to work out your life for yourself" (p. 41).

As the hero begins, there is no way to know how the quest will end. The hero journeys into a dark world and has to deal with strange forces or entities. As Campbell (1988) puts it, "You don't have to go far off the interpreted path to find yourself in very difficult situations" p. 41). The hero meets a wise person who explains how to successfully accomplish the mission. Frequently, this person gives the hero supernatural aid of some sort. By this time, the hero knows clearly what the goal is and is committed to achieving it. The hero then has to meet many challenges, culminating in a "supreme ordeal," in which he or she is transformed by the experience and often gains new powers as a result.

Eventually, the hero goes back home, bringing new powers and abilities that benefit society. In a televised interview "The Power of Myth," Campbell explained, "All these different mythologies give us the same essential quest. You leave the world that you're in and go into a depth or into a distance or up to a height. There you come to what was missing in your consciousness in the world you formerly inhabited. Then comes the problem either of staying with that, and letting the world drop off, or returning with that boon and trying to hold on to it as you move back into your social world again" (1988, p. 129).

Nell-Well

There once was a woman named Nell who lived in a country village where the people were decent but uneducated. The village had but one thing going for it -- a grassy ball field where leagues came to play baseball on the weekends. When the teams came, they bought beer and cigarettes at the general store, gas and oil at the service station, and souvenirs at the roadside stands. Nell baked pies -- apple, banana cream, lemon meringue -- and sold them at the games for $7 each. After their games the players ate meals at the local restaurant and sometimes reveled far into the night at the local tavern. It was a happy arrangement. But then one day, the State came in and said the village would have to buy expensive insurance if they wanted to keep their ball field. Nobody knew what to do. No one had money to buy insurance. The field was closed, and the leagues stopped coming on weekends. Nell and her neighbors began to suffer want.

We have to learn how to fight this thing," they all agreed, "but how? We need a leader -- somebody to speak for us and demand our rights." Ted, the bartender, spoke and said, "Who? Who will speak for us?" Nobody spoke. "Someone must," he said, "or this town will go under." Finally, Nell spoke. "I will," she said. Her neighbors laughed. "What can you do?" they asked. Nell answered, "I'll go to school and learn how."

Nell went to the big city and enrolled at the University. The city was all steel and concrete with the noise of traffic and gunshots in the distance. When she was asked to pay for her classes, she said she had no money -- and was sent to the Financial Aid Department. Nell spent many hours dealing with confusing paperwork and uncaring bureaucrats and finally was awarded a grant that just paid for her tuition and books with a little left over for expenses. Nell found a part-time job baking pies at the Avalon Bakery on campus. She found an apartment nearby whose back door opened onto a tiny kitchen-yard full of weeds and litter. A narrow, cracked cement walk led to an alley behind with garbage cans, rats, and unsavory sorts of people. Nell cleaned up the yard and planted tomatoes and marigolds. One afternoon as she was sweeping the walk to the alley she heard a commotion and went to investigate. A young girl no more than eight years old was cornered in the alley by a group of ruffian boys with bats and sticks intent on beating her up. Nell raised her broom and began swinging at the boys. "Get out of here!" she shouted. "Quit your messin' with that girl!" Shocked, the boys ran off. The little girl, who was really quite beautiful, cried with relief and thanked Nell over and over for saving her life.

The next day came a knock at Nell's back door. It was the same little girl only today she was smiling. "I brought you a present," she said, "from my mother and sisters." She gave Nell a silver palm pilot and showed her how to work it. "Keep this with you wherever you go," she said. "It will keep track of everything for you. My mother says 'success begins with small steps and doing the things you need to do on time. As long as you use this, you'll never miss a deadline." Nell exclaimed, "This is just what I need!" The child smiled. "I'm from a family of angels," she said. "My mother always seems to know what people need." Nell frowned. "If they're angels, why didn't they come to help you?" she asked. The child smiled again. "God sent you, didn't he?" Nell said, "Well, thank you. I've decided to go to law school. I can use this."

Nell did very well in school. She kept up with her reading, never missed an assignment, and graduated with honors. Later, she went to law school, and passed the bar exam. Nell always filed her briefs on time and never missed a summons. She kept her palm pilot on her person, and it never failed her. It helped her remember all kinds of things like important dates and people's names and phone numbers, who they knew and who to call in certain situations. Sometimes, she was sorely challenged though. She had to learn to give speeches. Speeches were hell for Nell. But she knew she couldn't be a lawyer without public speaking.

Little by little, as Nell forced herself to get up and speak, she gained confidence. In fact, people started asking her to give presentations. She had a following!

One man in particular always seemed to be in the audience. Nell gave a speech on government snooping, during which he stood up and clapped for her ideas. She gave a lecture on the situation of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Finally, she debated capital punishment against the state candidate for governor. He was running on a platform to reinstate the death penalty. It was an honor, but Nell was terrified! The candidate was polished and articulate. Nell concentrated on what she had to say rather than on herself and the ordeal. She argued persuasively and from her heart. Afterwards, people said she had won the debate!